I wrote this Friday afternoon, and any events that have happened since have not been incorporated into this post.
As I have done with many hearings, I watched the Marjorie Taylor Greene hearing in its entirety.
I was worked up about how this was evening happening and how so many Republicans — and I used to be registered as a Republican — seemed to be in favor of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s prominence in the party.
When I’d heard that they’d discussed and voted on whether or not to remove Liz Cheney’s from a top post in the GOP but took no similar vote regarding anything to do with Marjorie Taylor Greene, I was incensed.
But partway through I realized something that made me feel even worse: The only thing that matters to the GOP is that a day was wasted.
Here’s the order of what happened on Thursday to the best of my memory. If it’s not exactly right it’s close.
Part 1:
The house resolution was introduced.
A vote was taken on whether to discuss it. The Democrats have the majority and wanted to talk about it. The Republicans didn’t. It was clear to everyone that the Democrats had the votes just to discuss it.
The voice vote surely had enough yeas. But the Republicans asked for a record vote that requires each member to vote so they can count the votes. That takes a long time to do.
With the votes only along party lines, the Democratic majority meant that the house resolution would be discussed. Because duh.
Part 2:
Then there was a motion brought by a Republican to adjourn. You know, because they’d decided to discuss it, the way not to discuss it is just to go home.
The voice vote surely had enough noes. But the Republicans asked for a record vote that requires each member to vote so they can count the votes. That takes a long time to do. This is the second gratuitous record vote.
With the votes only along party lines, the Democratic majority meant that the house would not a adjourn. Because duh.
Part 3:
The Democrats said how Marjorie Taylor Greene is. And she is bad.
The Republicans came to her defense and said that she’s changed and that the statements were made before she was elected, so whatever. Also the Democrats also do bad stuff, so maybe just get everyone out who has done reprehensible stuff.
My take is that they should get everyone bad out. I don’t care about which party the bad people are affiliated with. Get all the bad people out.
It was in this stage that I realized that probably no one from either party really cares for Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Democrats don’t like her, and I don’t think the Republicans like her or even believe that she’s worth keeping around in a normal situation.
But it’s not a normal situation.
Biden is in the Oval, and the Democrats have the majority in the House and Senate.
The way to sink the Biden presidency and the Democratic party is to make them impotent.
Remember being in school? Remember how some people wanted to make the teachers ineffective? How did they do that?
They made trouble in a way that made the teacher have to stop. The way to do it is to derail.
So what did the Republicans do? They put school shooting denier on the education committee.
No sane person would think that freshman representative Marjorie Taylor Greene should be on that committee.
No parent would want her on that committee.
There are a lot of sane Republicans and a lot of parents who are Republicans.
Putting Marjorie Taylor Greene on that committee is a guaranteed way to get people to react negatively and loudly.
There was nothing behind it but to delay.
This is unconscionable. Eating up an entire day for nothing.
I don’t know what the next time waster, but it’s going to happen soon.
Be safe, everyone!